Hearing aid clasp



Oct. 26, 1954 M. F. BOXER HEARINGAID CLASP Filed July 17, 1953 INVENTOR. Moses F fioxer Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED PPTENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

producer is located several inches from the ear, .l,

and the sound is conducted to the ear passage through a small tube. In either event, such devices present a problem with respect to making the parts inconspicuous and secure when worn, particularly by women. Some clasps have been used which are intended to grip the hair and support certain of the elements of the device in a hidden position. These clasps have not been satisfactory because they have been difficult to apply, they have not made it possible to hide elements as desired, and particularly they have not made it possible to support and hold flexible elements of the device, such as the flexible cord or tube, in a convenient and secure manner.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clasp for hearing aids which can be readily applied to the hair and which when properly used will provide utmost hiding effect for the clasp and various elements of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp of the above character which Will provide a convenient and yieldable means for holding a flexible cord or tube securely and in a position hidden within the hair.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view on an enlarged scale illustrating a clasp incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the clasp shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 but illustrating the clasp in open condition.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view like Figure 2 but illustrating a modification.

Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating another embodiment of the invention, in which a fitting is carried by the clasp.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the embodiment shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view illustrating a reproducing device applied to the fitting, with the clasp being used for retaining a flexible cord.

The invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive consists of a pair of spaced parallel prongs 59 which cooperate with a complementary finger I l. The prongs and the finger are formed of suitable sheet spring metal, and are preferably integral with the doubled spring portion 4'2.

It is desirable to form the prongs slightly cupped, as shown particularly in Figure 4, whereby they present their convex sides toward the finger ll. The finger ll is preferably cupped a somewhat greater amount as shown in Figure 4;, whereby its exterior side forms in eliect a trough or groove I la. The finger H likewies presents a convex side toward the prongs Hl.

Suitable means is provided for springing the finger away from the prongs, to facilitate application of the clasp to the hair. For this purpose I provide an operating member 53, which can be formed as illustrated in Figure 1, and which includes camming tabs It, which are connected by the bar It. The :bar It is retained by the keeper loop II, which is carried by one side of the spring portion l2. When the operator is is sprung to the position shown in Figure 3, the two sides of the spring portion 12 are forced apart, and the finger is opened with respect to the prongs to facilitate application to hair. After hair has been placed between the prongs and the finger, the operator can be permitted to snap back to its original position with closing of the finger against the prongs.

In Figures 1 to 4 I have shown a flexible electrical cord [8 which forms a partof an electrical hearing aid. This cord is shown po-' sitioned within the trough Ha formed by the.

finger H; and it is retained within this trough by the resilient rubber band 19. It will be noted that this rubber band is engaged about the portion Nb of the finger, and the projecting end portion l ic. With this arrangement the portions lea of the rubber band embrace the flexible cord It, and the portions 5% extend longitudinally along the underside of the finger, and between the finger and the prongs. When hair is disposed between the finger and the prongs, the strands of hair are engaged by the rubber band portion I917, thus providing a frictional retention tending to retain the clasp in a desired position. The rubber band is accommodated within the notches 2i and 22. It will be evident that the rubber band is of such size that it is stretched somewhat when applied to the finger. Therefore it has adequate tension to retain the cord I8 within the trough Ha formed by the finger, while at the same time permitting the cord to slip relative to the clasp, if abnormal poll is applied.

The manner in which my clasp is used is as follows: Assuming that an electrical sound translating device is applied directly to the entrant end of the ear passage, this device is retained by suitable means such as an element which hooks about the ear, or which is attached to the lobe of the ear. The clasp is then engaged with the electrical cord extending from the translating device at a point several inches from the device, and while the clasp is opened, it is engaged in the hair toward the back of the neck, in such a manner that the clasp is completely hidden, together with the major length of the cord which extends from the translating device. Beyond the clasp the cord may extend downwardly back of the neck, to the microphone and amplifying units. When applied in a manner just described, the clasp will hold its desired position, particularly because of the efiective grip afiorded upon the hair. If the wearer should accidentally apply an abnormal pull to the cord, the cord will slip relative to the clasp, because of the yieldable retention provided by the rubber band l9.

In the embodiment described above, the keeper loop I! is on that side of the spring portion l2 which is attached to the prongs. It is evident that a like keeper Ila can be provided on the opposite side of the spring portion i2, in the manner illustrated in Figure 5.

Previous reference has been made to the fact that some hearing aids utilize a small tube for conveying sound to the ear. used to hold such a tube in place of the cord. Also when such equipment is employed my clasp can be modified as illustrated in Figures 6 to 8, inclusive. In this instance the operating member War has been extended to form a mounting for the hearing aid fitting 23. As a simple and convenient mounting means, I have shown small springs tabs 24 which are adapted to engage the sides of the fitting 23, whereby the fitting can be applied or removed as desired. In a typical instance a complete assembly for the hearing aid is as shown in Figure 8. In this instance the small button-like translating device 26 is applied to the fitting 23, and a flexible electrical cord 21 which connects with the device 26 is secured to the finger of the clasp in the same manner as previously described. Fitting 23 is provided with a small transparent plastic tube 28, which extends to a small applicator located at the entrant end of the ear passage With the arrangement of Figure 8 the clasp together with the device 26 and the fitting 23, can be readily attached to the ear in such a manner as to be completely hidden.

It will be evident that various changes can be made within the scope of the appended claims. For example in place of metal, part or all of the device can be made of suitable plastic, colored to facilitate hiding in the hair. Also the band He can be made of various elastic materials, such as synthetic rubber.

I claim:

1. In a clasp for hearing aids, a pair of laterally spaced parallel prongs, a complementary My clasp can be clamping finger adapted to cooperate with the prongs for gripping hair between the same, spring means connecting the prongs with the finger whereby the finger is urged against the prongs with the finger normally extending substantially parallel with the prongs and aligned with the space therebetween, means for opening the finger relative to the prongs against the urge of the spring means, and means for attaching an elongated flexible hearing aid element to one side of said finger.

2. In a clasp for hearing aids, a pair of laterally spaced parallel prongs, a complementary clamping finger adapted to cooperate with the prongs for gripping hair between the same, that side of the finger remote from the prongs providing a trough or groove, spring means connecting the prongs and the finger whereby the finger is urged against the prongs with the finger normally aligned within the space between the prongs, means for opening the finger relative to the prongs against the urge of the spring means, and means for attaching an elongated fiexible hearing aid element to said finger, with said element being disposed within said trough.

3. In a clasp for hearing aids, a pair of laterally spaced parallel prongs, a complementary clamping finger adapted to cooperate with the prongs for gripping hair between the same, said finger being formed whereby the exterior side of the same forms a trough or groove, :3. doubled spring portion formed integral with said prongs and finger and serving to connect the prongs with the finger whereby the finger is urged against the prongs, with the finger normally disposed within and aligned with the space between the prongs, means for opening the finger relative to the prongs against the urge of said spring portion, and resilient rubber means for yieldably attaching an elongated flexible hearing aid element to said finger.

4. A clasp as in claim 3 in which said last named mean comprises a resilient rubber band having spaced portions of the same embracing said flexible element and other portions of the same extending longitudinally of the finger and between the finger and said prongs.

5. In a clasp for hearing aids, a pair of laterally spaced parallel prongs, a complementary clamping finger adapted to cooperate with the prongs for gripping hair between the same, a spring portion formed integral with the prongs and the finger and serving to connect the same whereby the finger is normally urged against the prongs, with the finger extending substantially parallel to the prongs and aligned with the space between the same, an operating member movable to open the finger relative to the prongs against the urge of the spring means, and mounting means carried by said operating member for mounting a fitting of a hearing aid.

6. A clasp as in claim 5 together with resilient means for yieldably attaching a flexible element or" the hearing aid to said finger, said element extending from said fitting.

No references cited. 

